1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to packaging for computer software, and more particularly packaging that is adaptable for shipping and displaying computer software and its associated documentation.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Various means and methods for securely shipping and displaying computer software have been proposed in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,989 (Plummer) discloses a form of the classic storage container for magnetic tape cassettes of the type used in home and auto stereos. The storage container contains one or more protuberances, which are capable of being located in association with the capstan locating holes of the cassette to fixedly maintain the cassette within the storage container. Similar containers have also been used for computer software stored in magnetic tape.
The classic form of a "jewel box" for optical disks or CD-ROMs is, likewise, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,890 (Hofland et al.) According to that patent, a retainer for holding and protecting an optical disk is molded from plastic, to form a thin, flat, rectangular base member having a shallow rectangular cavity in the front surface thereof. A shallow circular cavity is centrally located within the rectangular cavity. The disk is resiliently held within the circular cavity, and can be removed by finger lifting. The retainer's top edge includes a hook recessed into its flat top edge. This hook allows the retainer to be vertically hung from, and perpendicular to, a horizontal storage rod. The retainer includes short, spaced posts located within the top portion of the rectangular cavity. A flat storage envelope mounts on these posts, to overlay the disk's exposed surface. The two external, vertically extending side walls of the base each include a flat, protruding, label surface located at the center of the side wall. Two flat box shaped containers are provided. One container holds a single retainer. Another container holds two disk retainers, or in the alternative a single retainer, a dummy retainer and relatively thick material auxiliary to use of the disk. When a retainer is mounted in a container, its hook is concealed, but the retainer's label surfaces protrude through openings provided in the container.
Other prior art providing packages for storing and protecting software in the form of flat, disk-shaped objects are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,416 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,112.
One problem with the above packaging is that it does not accommodate media of differing sizes and shapes. For example, computer software for complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) and middleware used with such software often requires voluminous documentation to describe the setup and operation of such computer software. Moreover, such computer software is likely to be distributed in multiple formats, such as magnetic tape (DAT, IBM 3270 format, etc.), CD-ROM, and diskettes, whether of the standard, 1.44 megabyte format, ZIP.RTM. or JAZ.RTM. (both of which are registered trademarks of Iomega Corporation) formats. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide packaging adaptable for shipping and displaying computer software, its associated documentation, and other media of differing sizes and shapes.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,749 (Knight) discloses an interlocking storage system for different types of electronic or magnetic recording media, including compact discs and cassette tapes. A standard size module is provided which can accommodate and store one standard dual compact disc box and one single compact disc box, three single compact disc boxes or two standard audio cassette boxes. Alternatively, other selected electronic recording media may be stored. The user selects releasable left and right side elements which securely compartmentalize the selected recording media within the module. This module provides both a horizontal and vertical interlocking means so that users may utilize numerous modules which are interconnected in both the vertical and horizontal direction to form a free-standing modular cabinet or storage system for their home entertainment collection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,456 (Gunning) discloses a multi-media storage container assembled from electrically nonconducting materials and including an elongated rectilinear outer sleeve, or case, that defines a cavity in which a partitionable insert, or drawer, resides to receive and securely store different types and sizes of computer data media in a dust-free, static-free environment. A plurality of columnar supports are located within the cavity and adjacent side panels to enhance the structural rigidity of the outer sleeve. The columnar supports extend through the outer sleeve to enable interconnection of the columnar supports of a first outer sleeve to those of, at least, a second outer sleeve, thereby enabling the creation of virtually continuous column supports to enhance the stackability of storage containers. A base plate rests in the bottom of the cavity adjacent to a bottom panel of the outer sleeve and releasably latches to each columnar support to structurally unite the columnar supports and provide increased structural strength. The multi-media storage container further includes a face plate coupled to the insert to function as a front for the outer sleeve, while providing a user with a means for inserting or removing the insert from the cavity.
A multi-media librarial storage system including a plurality of individual book-like storage containers is described. Each individual book-like storage container within the system is adapted to receive a plurality of interchangeable receiver inserts configured and dimensioned to retain a variety of multi-media cassette packages such as the common Philips audio cassette, video tape packages of the familiar VHS, VHS-C/8 mm video cassettes, digital audio tape (DAT) cassettes, CD-ROMs, computer software diskettes, and other related multi-media items. The receiver inserts disposed within the storage containers are fabricated from sheets of foldable materials such as paperboard using cut and fold techniques common to the packaging industry. Interchangeability among a plurality of differently configured and dimensioned receiver inserts is achieved by the use of integral locking tabs formed on the receiver inserts which are installed within mating slots formed within the individual storage containers. Detachable fastening means are interposed between the interchangeable receiver inserts and the interior surfaces of the storage containers to secure the same in their functional position. The multi-media librarial storage system is provided with alpha/numeric labels which are applied to the book-like spine of the storage containers to identify items stored therein and to facilitate retrieval. The multi-media librarial storage system is provided with a companion index volume wherein the user may identify and catalog items stored within the system by the identification labels.
Although the prior art includes various types of containers for the storage of audio or video cassettes, there is a need for a librarial storage system for storing, identifying and organizing the proliferation of audio and video cassette tapes, computer diskettes, CD-ROMS and other related items having different configurations within a storage system that is uniform in appearance and function. Thus, the present invention has been developed to provide a multi-media librarial storage system to solve this problem and other shortcomings of the prior art.